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GSI Technology Inc.: Q2 FY2027 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2027, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue flat, within guidance range: Net revenues were $6.0 million, within the $5.7 million to $6.5 million guidance range, compared with $6.4 million a year earlier and $6.3 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • Net loss widened to $7.0 million: Net loss was $7.0 million, or $(0.18) per diluted share, against $3.2 million, or $(0.11), a year earlier and $4.8 million, or $(0.13), in the prior quarter. Source
  • Gross margin fell below guidance: Gross margin was 48.5%, against 54.8% a year earlier and 53.4% in the prior quarter, and below the guidance of about 53% to 55%. Source
  • Cost pass-through under review: Management is reviewing manufacturing costs and intends to pass cost increases to customers when it makes sense, alongside the planned price increases. Source
  • Legal fees lifted SG&A: SG&A was $4.3 million, including about $2.0 million of non-routine legal and professional fees, partly offset by a $600,000 vendor settlement gain; net impact about $1.4 million. Source
  • Military and defense share rose sharply: Military and defense sales were 46.7% of shipments, up from 28.9% a year earlier and 31.3% in the prior quarter. Source
  • Cash fell to $69.2 million: Cash was $69.2 million at September 30, against $77.0 million at June 30; operating cash use was $8.0 million, including Plato and Gemini-II spending. Source

“In the second quarter of fiscal 2027, we made significant progress on several fronts, including the successful completion and acceptance of the initial stage of Phase I of our Smart Guardian Eye project”

Lee-Lean Shu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net revenue Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 2027$5.0 million to $6.0 millionNew
Gross margin Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 2027approximately 38% to 40%New
Plato chip tape-out SourceMarch 2027March 2027Kept
Plato first-spin sampling Sourcelate summer of calendar 2027late summer of calendar year 2027
AI-assisted SDK beta release Sourcebefore the end of December 2026before the end of December 2026

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Third-quarter revenue and gross margin ranges were given; the prior release gave ranges for the second quarter only. Source
  • New: Price increases are planned: immediately for new orders, and from January 1, 2027 for existing customer backlog. Source

Revenue and loss for the quarter

  • Revenue flat, within guidance range: Net revenues were $6.0 million, within the $5.7 million to $6.5 million guidance range, compared with $6.4 million a year earlier and $6.3 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • Net loss widened to $7.0 million: Net loss was $7.0 million, or $(0.18) per diluted share, against $3.2 million, or $(0.11), a year earlier and $4.8 million, or $(0.13), in the prior quarter. Source
  • Operating loss deepened year over year: Operating loss was $7.4 million, against $3.2 million a year earlier and $5.4 million in the prior quarter. Source

Gross margin and pricing

  • Gross margin fell below guidance: Gross margin was 48.5%, against 54.8% a year earlier and 53.4% in the prior quarter, and below the guidance of about 53% to 55%. Source
  • Mix and supply costs drove decline: Management attributed the decline to unfavorable product mix and higher manufacturing costs from supply constraints for wafers and outsourced assembly, burn-in and test. Source
  • Cost pass-through under review: Management is reviewing manufacturing costs and intends to pass cost increases to customers when it makes sense, alongside the planned price increases. Source

“To address higher manufacturing costs, the Company plans to implement price increases immediately for new orders and effective January 1, 2027, for existing customer backlog.”

Lee-Lean Shu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Operating expenses and one-time costs

  • R&D rose on Plato design services: R&D was $6.0 million, against $3.8 million a year earlier, with external Plato design services expected until the March 2027 tape-out; SBIR funding was $556,000. Source
  • Legal fees lifted SG&A: SG&A was $4.3 million, including about $2.0 million of non-routine legal and professional fees, partly offset by a $600,000 vendor settlement gain; net impact about $1.4 million. Source
  • Stock compensation rose: Pre-tax stock-based compensation was $1.1 million, against $856,000 a year earlier and $887,000 in the prior quarter. Source
  • No significant further costs expected: Management does not expect to incur significant additional expenses related to the internal assessment matters. Source

Customers and end markets

  • KYEC share rose to 19.7%: KYEC was $1.2 million, or 19.7% of net revenues, against 12.4% a year earlier and 16.1% in the prior quarter. Source
  • Nokia share rose to 6.2%: Nokia was $376,000, or 6.2% of net revenues, against 3.1% a year earlier and 4.9% in the prior quarter. Source
  • Military and defense share rose sharply: Military and defense sales were 46.7% of shipments, up from 28.9% a year earlier and 31.3% in the prior quarter. Source

“Achieving these milestones would enable us to expand the commercialization of Gemini-II in calendar year 2027, and position Plato for adoption across a broader range of AI applications.”

Lee-Lean Shu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Cash, equity and balance sheet

  • Cash fell to $69.2 million: Cash was $69.2 million at September 30, against $77.0 million at June 30; operating cash use was $8.0 million, including Plato and Gemini-II spending. Source
  • Working capital and equity declined: Working capital was $73.8 million, against $80.0 million at June 30; stockholders' equity was $86.2 million, against $91.9 million at June 30. Source
  • Prior-quarter share sales lifted cash: Cash rose in the prior quarter through $9.3 million of ATM stock sales and option exercises; financing inflow this quarter was $257,000.

Strategy: Plato, SDK and Smart Guardian Eye

  • Smart Guardian Eye Phase I live: The initial stage of Phase I was accepted by the Hsinchu County government in Taiwan, and the project now provides live video monitoring. Source
  • SDK alpha in internal trial: The AI-assisted SDK alpha is in internal trial and validation, designed to simplify porting existing AI models to the APU platform. Source
  • Plato aimed at larger edge models: Plato was described as expected to widen the addressable market by enabling larger language models at the edge with power use below 10 watts.

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • Phase II proposal to be submitted: Management plans to submit its proposal for Phase II of the Smart Guardian Eye project. Source
  • SDK commercial release targeted: Management plans to advance the AI-assisted SDK toward commercial release in the first half of calendar 2027. Source
  • Strategic partner sought for new markets: Management is seeking a strategic partner to enter new markets where the company lacks resources to pursue alone. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin Source48.5%
Military/defense share of shipments Source46.7%

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Higher manufacturing costs from supply constraints for wafers and outsourced assembly, burn-in and test raised costs this quarter. Source
  • Financial: Cash used in operations includes spending on Plato development and Gemini-II commercialization, reducing the cash balance. Source
  • Regulatory: Non-routine legal and professional fees arose from an internal assessment of vendor matters within foreign operations. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The prior release said Phase I was on schedule for November 2026; this release reports acceptance of the initial stage of Phase I.
  • Not stated: The prior release said the SDK remained on track for a September release; this release gives a beta timing before the end of December 2026.
  • Met: Second-quarter net revenue of $6.0 million was within the guidance range. Source
  • Missed: Management said second-quarter gross margin of 48.5% was below the guidance of about 53% to 55%. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.